Knee replacments

Confusing post.

Which 'medical card' are you referring to ?

You say 'at home in Ireland' and 'moving' to Spain which suggests that it's not a Spanish SIP card in which case no, you can't have your knees done in Spain.

Hello Joe, have a little read of this; https://ec.europa.eu/ireland/services/frequently-asked-questions-health_en

From having skimmed a few paragraphs, I think it will be fine, after all, up until Brexit, retired UK subjects who moved to Spain permanently get the S1 from the DWP, apply for Residency here and then get a permanent SIP card which covers all treatment which is available for Spanish citizens. I can't see any difference (apart from Eire NOT leaving the EU).
It may be worth contacting the Eire equivalent of DWP Overseas healthcare team to confirm things and also to get your medical records before you leave, with possibly the "knee bit" translated.
Unlike Brits, you should not have any problems getting an appointment for Residency once you are here.
All the best, I hope it all works out well for you.

Thank you

Thank you

If you've got a plastic SIP card, then there won't be a problem, and I had one done in 2015.

Two friends had replacements before me. Because there was a backlog, they were offered for the replacements to be done at private hospitals at no charge to my friends. They had their ops and were sent home, with no follow ups.

I had the op in Vega Baja public hospital. I was sent home with a prescription for pain killers and with 20 injections to prevent the risk of DVT. I was given two months of twice-weekly physio, X-rays, and several consultations with the specialist. 

If I decide at some point to have the other knee done, I'd rather wait a bit longer and have the op done at the public hospital, and would refuse an offer to have it done privately.

Cheers